Who are the 'NATO 3?'

Feb 18, 2014 | 1:40 PM

Who are Chicago's 'NATO 3'?

Brian Church

Jared Chase

Brent Betterly

Brian Church, 20, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Jared Chase, 24, of Keene, N.H., and Brent Vincent Betterly, 24, of Oakland Park, Fla, are the so-called "NATO 3." According to prosecutors, the three are self-proclaimed anarchists and members of "Black Bloc," a band of protesters who typically mask their faces to avoid identification. They were arrested prior to the start of the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago.

They stood trial together on 11 counts, including conspiracy to commit terrorism, possession of explosives and attempted arson. They faced up to 40 years in prison. Jury selection for their trial began on Jan. 21, 2014. Each has been held since their arrests.

In the trial, prosecutors alleged the three were involved in discussions and preparations for attacks on Chicago police stations, President Barack Obama's re-election headquarters, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home and a Chase bank in the Loop.

Police said they found at a Bridgeport apartment four Molotov cocktails, a makeshift mortar made from a length of PVC pipe, handwritten instructions for making a pipe bomb, a compound bow, knives, a throwing star and a large painted plywood shield with the sharp ends of screws drilled through the front.

After a two-week trial and nearly 8 hours of deliberations, jurors Feb. 7, 2014, rejected the two most serious counts of the indictment – providing material support for terrorism and conspiracy to commit terrorism. Instead, they convicted the three of two counts of misdemeanor mob action and two felony counts of possessing an incendiary device. They acquitted them on two other counts of possessing an incendiary device and one count of solicitation of arson.

The felony convictions carried the potential for prison sentences ranging from four to 30 years. On April 25, Chase was sentenced to 8 years, Betterly to 6 years and Church to 5 years.